Guard for outboard motors



Sept. 15, 1936. H. H. FULLER GUARD FOR OUTBOARD MOTORS Filed Jan. 23,1936 mwzwrok.

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Patented Sept. 15, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GUARD roa OUTBOARDmorons Harry nl miner, Madison, Wis. Application January 23, 1936,Serial No. 60,510 p 12 Claims. (01. 115-42) This invention relates to aguard for outboard motors for boats and more particularly it concerns aguard which will protect the outboard motor from damage when the boat istraversing shallow waters containing dangerous submerged rocks, logs,and the like.

One object of the invention is to provide a guard which offersprotection to the full propeller diameter but which at the same timedoes not me..- terially reduce the efficiency of the propeller. By meansof a simple clamp arrangement guards constructed in accordance with theinvention may be easily installed on any type of outboard motor and canlikewise be easily detached when not needed, as for example, whennavigating only in deep waters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a guard which is so shapedor curvedtljat it will easily pass over solid objects and tend ofl!weeds or light floating obstacles.

Still another object is to provide such a guard which will spring underimpact-but will return to its-original shape and which is flexible to adegree that will minimize the impact between the motor and obstaclesencountered. This is of importance, for while guards for outboard motorsare known, they are as a rule not flexible, and,

consequently, the impact upon striking a solid object often breaks theguard or the propeller shaft or blades.

The inventionv further has for an object the provision of a guard foroutboard motors which will not wedge between two rocks.

Furthermore, the guard which I have invented is constructed so thatthere is a larger clearance between propeller and guard than any openingin the guard so that small floating objects which pass through the guardwill not jamb between the guard and propeller. While some guards foroutboard motors now known possess some of these features, they havenever before been incorporated into one guard. The guard which I haveinvented not only accomplishes this but does so in such a manner as tomaintain simplicity of construction and eficiency of operation.

For purposes of example the invention has been illustrated in theaccompanying drawing in which: r

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevatio'nal view.

Fig. 3 is a view on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2.

In all of these views the parts of the outboard 55 motor and boat areshown in dash lines so that it will be easier to distinguish theelements of the guard proper.

In Fig. 1 an outboard motor generally indicated by the reference numeral2 is attached to a boat I in the customary manner so that the propellerI shaft and blades, 5 and 8 respectively, may be tilted out of thewater.

It will be noted that the outboard motor arrangement shown is providedwith a rudder structure III, the upper portion of which surrounds theshaft 6. The rudder structure It], however, is adapted to turn aroundthe axis of the shaft 6 together with the propeller. Such structure iscustomarily employed for the purpose of steering the boat. In fact allof the structure thus far described is conventional.

Fig. 1 shows in full lines the novel guard as applied to this structure.In general appearance the guard resembles somewhat a pitchfork havingfour tines. From .Fig. 3, however, it will be seen that the guard isconstructed of two sections each of which has two -tines or guardprongs. The tines or guard prongs l2 and ll of one section may beconnected together by a bar or rod l6, while the tines or guard prongsI8 and 20 of the other section may be connected together by a bar or rod22.-

The prongs l2, l4, l8 and 20, if desirable, may be integral with orwelded to the bars "5 and 22 respectively. It is also conceivable thatthey be separate, which as will be apparent, is an ad-- vantage shouldone break and require replacement.

These sections are preferably secured to the rear upper portion of therudder structure ill by bolts 2% and 26 which pass through openings inthe tines and bars and then through openings in the rudder structureiii. Tightening these bolts exerts a clamping action which securelyholds the guard in steady operative position. Moreover, the guard may beeasily detached by simply unloosing the bolts.

It is obvious that the guard may, within the scope of the invention, beclamped or otherwise secured to an outboard motor assembly. Varioustypes of outboard motor assemblies will dictate the kind of securingmeans which should be used. For the type of outboard motor illustratedin the 4 present drawing the guard clamping arrangement also shown isideal.

The guard may be made up of more or less than four tines or prongs andthe number of these elements employed depends upon the propeller spread.For example, with a propeller having a spread or six and one-half inchesa guard havingfour tines is preferable. For a Pr peller o! largerdiameter additional tines or prongs are used. In each case the spacebetween the guard tines may be about two inches, or more or less.

The tines or prongs i2, l4, l8 and 20, for example, should preferably bemade from spring steel of from a quarter to a half inch in diameterdepending on the horse power or the motor.

It will be noted that these guard tines or prongs pass downwardly aroundthe propeller and extend to the rear of the propeller a half inch ormore and also at least a half inch on each side. Such an arrangementprotects the blades from contact with any obstacle encountered having adiameter of more than two inches. Inasmuch as the guard tines are in allplaces at least two inches from the propeller, an obstacle of two inchesor less will fall through the motorfield.

Particular attention should be directed to the gradual curve of theguard tines. This backward curve, as will be seen fromFlg. 2 has noprojecting points and will have a tendency to shunt weeds as well asstones and logs away from the propeller.

The invention has proved tobe of great advantage particularly whentraveling in shallow rivers and over rapids. Weeds and light obstacleswill be shunted by the guard tines. Heavier obstacles will cause thetines or prongs to bend temporarily and will thus take up the shockwhich might otherwise be injurious to the outboard motor assembly. Astationary obstacle oi considerable size will cause the tines or prongsto bend and then the whole assembly, to pivot out of the water. It willbe noted that the construction described and shown is such that it willclaim as new and desire to protect by hetters prevent the outboard motorfrom wedglng be: tween two rocks or other stationary obstacles.

with all these advantages the present invention is, at the sametime,simple in construction a easy to attach and detach.

Having now described my invention, what I securing said guard elementsto said unit at a point above and forwardly of the propeller so thatsaid guard elements extend downwardly and rearwardly around thepropeller in an unbroken line.

3. Ina guard as defined in claim 2, said guard elements being spacedapart by'a distance less than'the distance between said elements and thepropeller blades whereby small objects which pass through the guard willnot Jamb between th guard and the propeller.

4. A guard for an outboard boat motor unit having a turnable downwardlyextending vertical shaft and a rudder plate secured thereto, said guardcomprising a plurality of guard elements of spring metal and disposed inspaced vertical planes, and means for securing said guard ele- 'brokenline.

rods to hold the parts rigidly together.

abuse-14 pass through the guard -will not Jamb between guard andpropeller.

7. A guard for anoutboard boat motor unit having a downwardly extendingsubstantially vertical shalt, said ,guard comprising a plurality ofguard elements of spring metal, the major portion of said elements beingdisposed in spaced vertical planes on either side of a vertical planepassing: through said shaft, the upper portions vof said a guardelements converging inwardly towardsaid last mentioned vertical plane,and means for securing the upper ends of said guard elements to saidunit at a point above and forward of the propeller so that said guardextends downwardly the propellerin an un and rearwardly around a. Aguard as defined in claim 7, the elements on each side of the verticalplane passing through the vertical shaft being form guard units. I e 9.A guard as defined in claim 7, the elements on each side of the verticalplane passing through the verticalshait being'connected 'by rods, and

connected integrally to said means for securing the upper ends of saidelements consisting of securing elements which 'pass through aperturesin said ends and in said .10.- A guard foran outboard boat motor unithaving a turnable downwardly extending shaft and a rudder plate securedto said shaft, said guard comprising a plurality of guard elements ofspring metal, the major portion of said elements beingdisposed in spacedvertical planes 'on either side of said rudder plate, the upper portionsof said guard elements converging inwardly to said rudder plate, theupper ends of said elements having apertures therein, said rudderplate11. In a guard as defined in claim 10, the guard elements disposed oneach, side ofsaid rudder plate being connected integrally. to form guardunits.

12. Ina guard as defined in claim 10, rods con-' necting the ends of theguard elements on each side of said rudder plate, said rods beingprovided with apertures through which said securing means also pass tohold the elements rigidly together in which position the rods abutagainst the rudder plate.

. HARRY H. FULLER.

